Third suspect arrested in Delaware County carjacking

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July 20, 2012 10:46:10 AM PDT

Action News

COLLINGDALE, Pa. - July 20, 2012 --

Collingdale police have announced the arrest of a third suspect in a strong-arm carjacking, which led to a high speed chase through Delaware County and ultimately the crashing of the stolen vehicle earlier this week.

18-year-old Gustavis Gramling Jr., from the 200 block of Roberta Avenue in Collingdale, is charged with robbery, criminal attempt homicide, reckless endangering another person, risking catastrophe, resisting arrest, aggravated and simple assault, robbery of a motor vehicle, theft, firearms not to be carried without a license.

Police say they followed up on leads and cell phone numbers in determining Gramling's identity. According to investigators, Gramling turned himself into police Friday morning and admitted to his involvement when questioned by detectives, as well as providing a full confession to the robbery.

The charges stem from an incident that began Tuesday when police were called at 11:52 p.m. to the unit block of Jackson Avenue in Collingdale for the report of a robbery.

Arriving officers found the victim lying in the grass next to the roadway and bleeding profusely from a laceration on the left side of his head. The victim told police he arrived to a residence on Jackson Street to deliver an order for cheesesteaks when he was greeted by three black males sitting on the front steps.

The three men then allegedly attacked, hitting the victim in the head and face. The victim tells police one of the assailants demanded cash, telling him that he had a gun while another suspect struck the victim on the side of the head with an unknown object.

The suspects took his money and jumped into the victim's white Toyota Corolla and sped off.

The victim conveyed his story to police and supplied a description of his stolen car before being transported to Crozer Hospital for treatment.

Officers caught up to the suspects at the intersection of Calcon Hook Road and Hook Road where they ordered the vehicle to pull over, but the driver gunned it, accelerating directly towards a Darby Township police vehicle and hitting it with enough force that the Toyota tore the front bumper off of the police cruiser.

The car continued at a high rate of speed, making several turns and weaving in and out of traffic and onto the ramp for Interstate 95 southbound.

The car tried outrunning officers on the highway before exiting onto Chestnut Street in Chester City but was greeted by responding officers. The driver of the Toyota narrowly missed hitting a second police cruiser and then veered off the road, through a fence, down an embankment toward I-95 North and into a guardrail.

The occupants of the Toyota all made a run for it, but one of them was found hiding in the brush nearby.

That suspect, 18-year-old Charles Meriweather from the 100 block of Pine Street in Collingdale, is charged with robbery, criminal attempt homicide, reckless endangering another person, risking catastrophe, resisting arrest, aggravated and simple assault, robbery of a motor vehicle, theft, firearms not to be carried without a license, and several motor vehicle violations.

Meriweather is now being held on $1-million cash bail.

Collingdale Police after following up on leads and cell phone numbers were able to determine the identity of the second suspect from the incident.

18-year-old Janei Wells from the 400 block of Pusey Ave in Collingdale admitted to his involvement when questioned by detectives and provided a full confession to the robbery.

He is also being charged with robbery, criminal attempt homicide, reckless endangering another person, risking catastrophe, resisting arrest, aggravated and simple assault, robbery of a motor vehicle, theft, firearms not to be carried without a license.